Mattress supported frame and tray
A tray is supported by a tubular frame residing between a mattress and box spring. The frame is a single continuous loop of tubing having a substantially horizontally residing supported portion, a vertical center portion, and a substantially horizontal tray support portion. The tray is rectangular with a raised edge and includes clips residing on a tray bottom to snap onto the frame.
The present invention relates to a support frame and tray and in particular to a mattress supported tubular support frame and snap-on tray.
There is often a need for a tray adjacent to a bed to hold various articles such as books, lamps, food, drinks, and the like. One solution is a tray with legs which support the tray above the floor. Unfortunately, such floor supported trays are often cumbersome and easily knocked over. Other solutions comprise trays supported by a frame residing between a mattress and box spring. Such frames generally comprise a flat plate residing horizontally when in use, and vertical members rising from the flat plate to support the tray. Unfortunately, such flat plates may slip between the mattress and box spring, and comprise several members raising production costs. Therefore, a need remains for a simple and stable mattress supported frame and tray.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a tray supported by a tubular frame residing between a mattress and box spring. The frame is a single continuous loop of tubing having a substantially horizontally residing supported portion, a vertical center portion, and a substantially horizontal tray support portion. The tray is rectangular with a raised edge and includes clips residing on a tray bottom to snap onto the frame.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mattress supported frame and tray. The frame is a substantially round tubular frame having a supported portion, a center portion, and a tray support portion. The supported portion is substantially planar (i.e., may include some vertical variation, but not enough to affect the mattress) and has an inward end insertable under a mattress and an outward end opposite the inward end. The center portion is approximately orthogonal to the supported portion and has a lower end extending vertically from the outward end of the supported portion and a higher end opposite the lower end. The tray support portion is approximately parallel to the supported portion and extends horizontally from the higher end of the center portion, extending opposite the supported portion. The tray includes pairs of downwardly extending opposed clips configured to grasp the frame.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a mattress supported frame and tray having a continuous tube frame.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.
A perspective view of a bed 10 with a mattress supportable frame and tray 22 according to the present invention is shown in
A detailed perspective view of the mattress supportable frame and tray 22 is shown in
A detailed perspective view of the frame 20 is shown in
The frame 20 has a width W1 which is preferably between approximately ten inches and approximately fourteen inches, and more preferably approximately twelve inches. The frame 20 has a height H1 which is preferably between approximately ten inches and approximately eighteen inches, and more preferably between approximately twelve inches and approximately sixteen inches. The supported portion 24 has a length L3 of preferably between approximately ten inches and approximately sixteen inches, and more preferably between approximately twelve inches and approximately fourteen inches. The tray support portion 28 has a length L2 of preferably between approximately six inches and approximately ten inches, and more preferably approximately eight inches.
The frame 20 is preferably made from tubing and more preferably from round tubing. The frame 20 is also preferably a continuous loop and more preferably a continuous loop of tubing, for example, a continuous length of bent tubing, and most preferably joined at one or two points along the frame, and more preferably joined by welding at two points along the frame. The tubing preferably has an outside diameter between approximately ½ inches and ¾ inches and more preferably approximately ⅝ inches.
A detailed perspective view of the tray 18 is shown in
Attaching features 32 for attaching the tray 20 to the frame 18 are shown in
The tray 20 has a tray width W2, a tray length L4, and a tray thickness T. The tray length L4 is preferably approximately equal to the frame width W1 to facilitate packaging the frame and tray 20.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.
Claims
1. A mattress supported frame and tray comprising:
- a single continuous bent tube tubular frame having: a tubular substantially planar supported portion having an inward end insertable under a mattress and an outward end opposite the inward end; a tubular center portion approximately orthogonal to the supported portion and having a lower end extending from the outward end of the supported portion and a higher end opposite the lower end; and a tubular tray support portion approximately parallel to the supported portion and extending from the higher end of the center portion opposite the supported portion; and
- a tray configured to attach to the tray support portion of the frame.
2. The frame and tray of claim 1, wherein the tray has a bottom surface including clips which snap onto the tray support portion to attach the tray to the frame.
3. The frame and tray of claim 2, wherein the clips comprise opposing pairs of downward protruding fingers to grasp the frame.
4. The frame and tray of claim 3, wherein the opposing pairs of downward protruding fingers include concave inner opposing surfaces.
5. The frame and tray of claim 2, wherein;
- the tray support portion comprises two longitudinal portions joined by a lateral portion; and
- the clips comprise six pairs of opposing downward protruding fingers arranged to grasp the two longitudinal portions and the lateral portion.
6. The frame and tray of claim 5, wherein the longitudinal portions are approximately parallel.
7. The frame and tray of claim 1, wherein the tray includes a tray edge to add stiffness to the tray.
8. The frame and tray of claim 7, wherein the tray edge includes a downward extending edge and an upward extending edge.
9. The frame and tray of claim 1, wherein the length of the tray is approximately equal to the width of the frame to facilitate packaging the frame and tray for shipping.
10. A mattress supported frame and tray comprising:
- a continuous round tubular frame having: a planar supported portion having an inward end insertable under a mattress and an outward end opposite the inward end; a center portion approximately orthogonal to the supported portion and having a lower end extending from the outward end of the supported portion and a higher end opposite the lower end; and a tray support portion approximately parallel to the supported portion and extending from the higher end of the center portion opposite the supported portion; and
- a tray including pairs of downwardly extending opposed clips configured to grasp the frame.
11. A mattress supported frame and tray comprising:
- a continuous tubular frame having: a substantially planar supported portion having an inward end insertable under a mattress and an outward end opposite the inward end; a center portion approximately orthogonal to the supported portion and having a lower end extending from the outward end of the supported portion and a higher end opposite the lower end; and a tray support portion approximately parallel to the supported portion and extending from the higher end of the center portion opposite the supported portion;
- a tray configured to attach to the tray support portion of the frame; and
- three pairs of two pairs of opposing fingers having concave inner opposing surface and residing on a bottom surface of the tray for attaching the tray to the frame.
3698328 | October 1972 | Weir |
3894709 | July 1975 | Weir |
4404698 | September 20, 1983 | Koncelik et al. |
4465255 | August 14, 1984 | Hill |
4819568 | April 11, 1989 | Coffrin |
5009379 | April 23, 1991 | Sadler |
5038434 | August 13, 1991 | Navarrette |
5359741 | November 1, 1994 | Lang |
5642541 | July 1, 1997 | Corbin |
6742204 | June 1, 2004 | Barker |
6834403 | December 28, 2004 | Elliott |
Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 30, 2006
Date of Patent: Nov 20, 2007
Inventor: Philip F. Navarrette (Whittier, CA)
Primary Examiner: Michael Trettel
Attorney: Kenneth L. Green
Application Number: 11/478,764
International Classification: A47B 23/00 (20060101);